Prime Minister agrees actions to support survivors and Foundation work

May 7, 2014 | Nick Taylor

The Prime Minister, David Cameron, met with a delegation from the Foundation for Peace (pictured) to learn about our work and to agree a number of actions related to the Survivors for Peace Programme.

The meeting followed a question tabled by Tessa Jowell MP who, under the previous Government, established the Humanitarian Assistance Unit and was the responsible minister following incidents such as 9/11, the tsunami and London 7/7. The unit was closed down in 2010 and the Foundation is now the only organisation in Britain providing specialist assistance to victims of terrorism.

The meeting was also attended by Warrington South MP, David Mowat, who is a Patron of the Foundation and has campaigned to support our work.

The Prime Minister also invited the Minister for Policing, Justice and Victims, Damian Green to attend.

Founders Colin and Wendy Parry were joined by Chief Executive Nick Taylor. Survivors of the London 7/7 attacks, Thelma Stober and Sudhesh Dahad joined the meeting to share their personal experiences, the benefits given to them by the Survivors for Peace programme and their hopes for future assistance.

The meeting lasted thirty minutes and all parties and the Prime Minister were fully appraised of the entire work undertaken by the Foundation including our work to prevent and resolve violent conflict.

The Prime Minister listened to very powerful experiences including how the destabilisation of Survivors for Peace funding had badly affected people who participate in the programme and the need for certainty in assisting victims and survivors of terrorism.

The Prime Minister heard how not having accountability in Government was impacting the assistance provided and the importance of commemorations to survivors and bereaved families. Mr Cameron was also appraised of the jurisdictional issues preventing the Foundation from being funded

The meeting concluded with a number of agreements:

1 – that Damian Green will be the accountable minister in Government working with the Foundation.

2 – that Survivors for Peace will be funded in 2014/15 with a commitment to find a sustainable method funding for the future.